He enjoyed the outdoors and the ocean, he was an avid golfer. Joe never met a stranger.
He is survived his wife of 50 years, JoAnn, his mother, Doris Elizabeth Thomas of Shannon, NC; one son, Joseph A. Thomas and wife Marion of Brunswick, GA; two daughters, Tracie Lynn Thomas Toth of New Bern; Rene Gorham and husband Robert of Woodbridge, VA; one brother, Gary Allen Thomas and wife Jackie of Lumberton; two sisters, Judith Ann Thomas Thompson and husband Larry of Shannon; Linda Marie Thomas Fry and husband William of Silver Springs, MD; his grandchildren, Lauren Ballou and husband Drew, Lindsay Gilgo and husband Justin, Angela Fobbs, Joshua Curtis, Jessica Curtis, JoAnn Thomas and Matthew Gorham, and two great-grandchildren, Ashlyn Lewis and Colton Gilgo. Joe is preceded in death by his father, Herbert Norborne Thomas, Sr., and a brother, James Lewis Thomas.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm Saturday, November 10, 2012 at Cotten Chapel.
